Three Quarters of Olympia Minus the Servant - Jean-Michel Basquiat
Archival giclée
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Description
A 1982 Neo-Expressionist work by Jean-Michel Basquiat that reinterprets Manet's Olympia through raw, gestural mark-making and layered textual commentary.
Jean-Michel Basquiat produced Three Quarters of Olympia Minus the Servant in 1982, a period during which he engaged frequently with art historical references. The title directly addresses Edouard Manet's 1863 painting, Olympia. By removing the servant figure, Basquiat shifts the focus of the composition, re-evaluating the power dynamics and racial narratives present in the original work.
The visual composition is characteristic of Basquiat's approach, combining raw, gestural mark-making with deliberate textual elements. The canvas features a central figure rendered in a simplified, almost skeletal style, surrounded by blocks of primary colours and scribbled annotations. Phrases such as 'Woman dry her neck' appear alongside references to Edgar Degas, creating a layered dialogue between the artist and his predecessors. The surface is textured, with visible drips and rough application of paint, reflecting the immediacy of his process.
Basquiat often utilised the canvas as a site for social commentary, blending personal observation with broader cultural critique. The inclusion of specific words and symbols functions as a visual shorthand, inviting the viewer to decode the connections between the historical subject matter and the contemporary context of the early 1980s. The work is mounted on wooden supports, a common feature in his practice that emphasises the physical, object-like quality of the painting. This piece demonstrates his ability to deconstruct canonical imagery while maintaining a distinct, aggressive aesthetic that rejects traditional notions of finish or refinement. The interplay of blue, red, and cream tones provides a structural framework for the chaotic arrangement of lines and figures, ensuring the eye moves across the surface to engage with each individual component of the composition.
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Specific Features
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- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Three Quarters of Olympia Minus the Servant - Jean-Michel Basquiat
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